Brazil, among the 11 countries with the highest military expenditure in the world

Brazil increased its military spending by 34% between 2011 and 2012. The number was released by the Ministry of Defence. Many of the resources were considered strategic programs such as the development of submarines for the Navy, fighter aircraft modernization and development of transport aircraft KC-390, which is not yet available. Other areas that received an injection of resources included updating aerial gunnery system and recovery of damaged equipment.

According to the report overall industry expenses were 3,250 million in 2011 and amounted to 4,350 million in 2012.

According to a ranking published by IIPSS (International Institute for Peace Studies Stockholm) Brazil is currently at No. 11 on the list of spenders on defense worldwide. The first three places in the table are occupied by the United States, China and Russia. The Federal Government of Brazil stressed that military investments are in frank and uninterrupted expansion since 2004. The increase in absolute terms during that period was 480%, from 750 million in 2004 to 4350 million in 2012.

Why Brazil needs to increase its defense spending?

The growth of the Brazilian defense spending is driven by the country's need to approach in standards their BRIC partners and other powers relevant to the overall political balance. The regional issue, which in the past was a priority, has been overcome. Brazil invests in defense three times more than Colombia, a nation that retains second Latin American military budget and ten times more than Argentina, former competitor for continental leadership.

Brazil's role in the international system as an emerging power makes the maintenance of a powerful armed forces a key factor for the implementation of effective diplomacy. With respect to matters pertaining to high international politics, ministries of foreign affairs and defense operate in close coordination. It is enough to see how the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China handle foreign policy to empirically test this little statement. Brazilian Foreign Ministry has been working on this concept for a long ago. At the same time the expansion of defense spending responds to the logic need to defend successfully the important natural resources that holds the vast geography of Brazil. Drinking water reserves, oil recently discovered in the seabed, existing wealth in the Amazon as well as other assets form a heritage that belongs to future generations and should be properly protected. Many Latin American governments question global order by verbally accusing core "imperialist" or "colonial" countries. While more speeches are being made, the logic of the functioning of the international system remains the same. Brazil has accepted the rules of play and is working in this direction. The fact of possessing a relevant military forces, will allow Brazilian foreign policy to have some weight in the discussions of international high politics.